Service, Spirituality and Community

Coach Jacob Robinson helps St. Patrick School Students keep their bodies active during quarantine

Service, Spirituality, and Community in the time of

By Joanna Bowen, Director of the Augustinian Volunteers

COVID-19

On Thursday March 12th, I sat at my desk in my basement office of the St. Augustine Friary. I had just hung up from a call with other directors of volunteer programs, and the primary question on our minds was about the COVID-19 virus that was beginning to spread within the United States. I had already heard from several of our Augustinian Volunteers and their site supervisors that day, updating me on school closures and other changes beginning to take effect. Simultaneously, I was getting texts from friends and family about other events that were shutting down. The Big East Basketball tournament abruptly ended during halftime of a quarterfinal game. Broadway went dark. It certainly seemed like something was brewing. I opened my email and began drafting a letter to the volunteers, serving all over the country and in Peru. “ Dear Volunteers,” I wrote, “ As COVID-19 (Coronavirus) continues to spread, we wanted to touch base with all of you to make sure that you have accurate and updated information about the disease.”

Today, as I write this article from my home office, revisiting the email I wrote many months ago, I am reminded of how naïve we were to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 12th, I could have never imagined the loss of lives our country would experience and the way in which our way of life would be radically transformed. I did not yet know that the rest of my interactions with our volunteer class would be on Zoom. I did not know that we wouldn’t be able to celebrate our 20th Anniversary in person. And, I certainly did not know that we would be preparing to welcome our 21st class with a completely virtual orientation.

However, I was certain that the Augustinian Volunteers could continue to provide opportunities for our domestic volunteers to safely experience community, service, and spirituality. Sadly, the onset of the pandemic made it unsafe for volunteers to continue to serve in Chulucanas, Peru, and they returned home to the United States ahead of the Peruvian border closure. Quickly, the AV staff jumped into action, providing extra funds in volunteer budgets so that they could stock up on groceries and cleaning supplies. Realizing that volunteers would likely welcome more connection during this unprecedented time in our country’s history, Hannah Kunberger, Associate Director of the Augustinian Volunteers, created a newsletter that was delivered to each volunteer’s

Keara McNulty and Claire Leroux screen patients for COVID-19 at Fr. Joe’s Villages Family Health Center in San Diego, CA

Keri Salanik prepares bags for high school seniors for Villanova Prep’s virtual senior retreat

Bridget Lozier delivers food to homebound senior citizens as part of Help of Ojai’s food distribution program

Daniela Zavala leads a virtual sing-along for preschool students at Lawrence Catholic Academy

inbox daily. Together, we shared prayer requests, sought ways to lift others up, swapped educational resources, and did our best to find some humor each day. The volunteers responded with similar ingenuity. Some volunteers, who served as essential workers, left their homes each day to engage with the local community by providing food distribution services and COVID-19 testing. Others pivoted to virtual service, connecting with students and clients through video conferencing and phone calls. Suddenly, physical education class was a video lesson from the volunteer’s backyard, retreats happened on Zoom, and preschoolers were entertained with elaborate sing-along videos.

As the pandemic continued without a resolution in sight, it became clear that as a staff, we had to move past responding and instead focus on innovating for the future. By mid-April, we knew that it would be irresponsible and unsafe to gather in person for an End of Year retreat. We also knew it was unlikely that we would be able to welcome our 21st class in August with an in-person orientation. While much of the content that takes place during these retreats could take place on a virtual platform, we wanted to pay particular attention to creating a comfortable space for volunteers to share deeply and connect meaningfully around their experiences. We wanted volunteers to be active participants, and not feel like they were relegated to watching the end of their volunteer experience on a screen. The AV staff has always put relationships with volunteers at the center of our work. We strive to get to know each volunteer on a personal level so that we can journey with them throughout the year. In the end, it was that foundation that we built that allowed for a successful retreat experience, even though we could not be together.

At the end of August, our 21st volunteer class began its term of service. For the first time ever, we did not begin our relationships in person. In addition to the physical and spiritual gifts we provide each volunteer, we also stocked each house with a thermometer, pulse oximeter, and a list of local COVID-19 testing sites. Some have asked if it’s worth it to have a volunteer year this year. After all, our world is more uncertain than ever. But, after thoughtful conversations with advisors and others, we believe that our volunteers can have a safe and meaningful experience. Being an Augustinian Volunteer has always required a leap of faith and a radical commitment to the good of others. This year will be no different.

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Augustinian Volunteers email: info@AugustinianVolunteers.org facebook: @AugustinianVolunteers instagram: @augustinianvols phone: 610.527.3330 ext 291